Go-devil device for locating obstructions in pipe lines



(moms IN PIPE muss 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept, 30, 1947. c. H. FAY

(IO-DEVIL DEVICE FOR LOCATING OBSTRU Filed Nov. 27, 1943 2 5 IT 3 3 7 Ix2 A5 4 k e Z Sept. 30, 1947. c. H. FAY

N P-IPE mums GO-DEVIL DEVICE FOR momma OBSTRUCTIONS 1 Filed Nov. 27,1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Amphfier f 27 \rwznTori Char-\es H. Fag

. the line, the eifect Patented Sept. 30, 1947 2,428,326 nnvron 'ronLocA'riNo GO -DEVIL OBSTRUCTIONS IN PIPE LINES Charles H. Fay,

Development Houston, Tex, assignor to Shell Company,

San Francisco, Cahf.,

a corporation of Delaware Application November 27,

1943, Serial No. 512,064

3 Claims. (Cl. 13-151) This invention relates to the operation andmaintenance of pipe lines, and pertains more particularly to thelocation of obstructions in pipe lines by magnetic means.

It is a frequent ators that scrapers or go-devils used for cleaning theline may become jammed at some point in the line, usually at some bendor valve. The location of the jammed scraper has often been a tediousand costly enterprise.

While the scrapers are so designed that the rubber discs by means ofwhich they are propelled by the fluid break down or are deflected awayto permit the passage of some fluid through of a jammed scraper isnevertheless to increase pumping costs and reduce throughput while itremains in the line.

Jammed scrapers have been located in the past by digging so-calledbellholes to the line at frequent intervals over the section of line inwhich the scraper is known to be, placing listeners at the bellholes,and running a second scraper in the line. The jammed scraper is thenlocated between the last bellhole at which the scraper was heard and thefirst at which it was not heard. At best the scraper may be found at abend or valve in the interval; at worst the section of line betweenbellholes must be torn up.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a device forlocating jammed scrapers or other obstructions in pipe lines byobservation from the earths surface above the line.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a pipe line scraper orgo-devil carrying means for conveying to the outside of the pipe line amagnetic signal indicating the exact location, within a few feet, ofsaid scraper inside the pipe line.

The means of accomplishing this will be understood from the followingdescription taken with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views in crosssection of two embodimentsof the pipe line scraper or rotating magnet signaler of the presentinvention;

,Fig. 3 is a view, taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1, of themagnet housing dismounted from the scraper;

Fig. 4 is a view, taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1, of theturbine element dismounted from the scraper; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic magnet detecting with the magnet tion.

view of a suitable signaler of the present invenexperience of pipe lineoper-' device for use in conjunction the scraper.

Referring to Fig. 1, the rotating magnet signaler consists of a frame orrod member I carcanvas, etc. and affixed to the 3 and nuts I, fluid flowto propel the a manner understandable to thosefamiliar with If desired,more than one disc may oe-mounted on the rod l, which may also havemounted thereon all necessary tools for scraping and cleaning the pipeline, such asroller cutters, knife cutters, wire brushes, etc. Thesetools, are not shown in the drawings for simplicity.

Similarly mounted on the rod l andsecured thereto by means of a locknut6, is a housing 5, preferably made ofa non-magnetic material such ascopper or aluminum, which protects a fluid turbine 1. The turbine 1 ismounted on the rod 1 preferably by means of a ball-bearing mechanism 9and comprises a rotor element having a of blade elements H, as shown inFig. 4, whereby the. turbine is caused to rotate about past the scraper.limi ed to the turbine by means such as screws [3 is a bar magnet 8,preferably made of a steel alloy havinghigh magnetic retentivityproperties. The housing 5 is provided with windows l2 to facilitate theflow of the fluid past A plurality of springs in are convenientlyprovided on the outside of housing 5 to facilitate the motion of thedevice in the line.

Instead of mounting the turbine at one end of turbine may be mountedinany other desired manner, for example, in the middle, as shown in Fig.2. This arrangement is in all points similar to that of Fig. 1, exceptthat the rod l is made of two parts, la and lb, which are held together.by the housing 511, completely surrounding the turbine mechanism andprovided withwindows l2a and I2b for fluid circulation.

When the rotating magnet signaler reaches an obstruction in the line andis stopped thereby, the disc 2 is broken down or deflected by the largepressure differential resulting, so that flow continues, although at areduced rate. Part of the fluid will now flow through the blades I! ofturbine I and cause it and magnet 8 to rotate. By suitable choice ofblade angle of the elements l1 and the like, the speed of rotation maybe held the order of 5 to 10 for reasonable speeds of at a predeterminedvalue of revolutions per second fluid flow.

being conventionaltestable field can be obtained several feet from Whenthe pickup comes nearly over the sigdo not interfere with the operationof the signaler. This periodic swinging is easily recognaler. 1

It is understood that a vari ty of detecting dehence of the obstructionat which it stopped, is

vices may be used for locating the signaler by rendered a p iv y mplematter by the means of the alternating magnetic field it proflnt i on.

duces. One such device is shown by wa of ex- 4 I cl m as nymven ionrself, and fields due to electriccurrents in the pipe 15 p int r a he rey f r a n f th 11 a with respect to each other by a rigid mounting 22 25y s e evi n a ma net element aflixed to that the electromotiveforcesinduced in each 3 n t c fi l being tectable bysaid detector outhave itsmaximum amplificationlin the frequency t e er e -a a th Said pipe line,

well understood by those familiar with the art of i py is caused to moveWithin an alon electronics. The output of the amplifier is fed 4 e lme ySaid u fl w, said piston means toan indicator 21, which may convenientlybe 40 belPg deformable by'said fluid flow t permit the a cent r-z ropivot or t t suspensmn pointer we! to flow past the go-devil when thego-devil galvanometer of gufiic enfly short De ed to is airested withinsaid pipe line, a rotor earned brate satisfactorily at frequencieswithin the Y 531d frame member, n a ma n t e ement atobviou t thoseskilled in the ma detectable by said detector outside said pipe line.practicing the invention, the present he 60 The i e of claim 2, sing ahousin previously described. An operator now walks the permit a mud flowPast said rotor line with the detector, holdin the icku device m g p p rCHARLES H. FAY.

over the ling While the pickup has been designed, as previou yexplained, to give negligible re- Sponse from its motion in a uniformfield, it will REFEREACES CITED respond somewhat to rapid motion in theheld The following references are of record in the due to the pipe line,since said fieldlhas difierent, file of this patent:

locatedin case of doubt by shaking the pickup UNITED STATES PATENTSrapidly at difierent locations and observing the Number Name Dateswingof the indicator pointer. If the pickup is 1,406,632 Rathbone 1922carried smoothly, however, the slowly varying 1, 6 ,42 Lowy Mar, 13,1928 signal produced by its motion in the pipe line 2, 1 Blare Sept. 14,1937 Pot er field will be greatly attenuated by the low fre- 2,299,406Oct. 20, 1942

